DCLM SEARCH THE SCRIPTURE 26 SUNDAY, JULY 2020

Deeper Christian Life Ministry – Search The Scripture 26 Sunday, July 2020 (LESSON 959)

Matter: Problem Of Reviving A Useless Church

Reminiscence Verse: “Be watchful, and strengthen the issues which stay, which are able to die: for I’ve not discovered thy works excellent earlier than God” (Revelation Three:2).

Textual content: Revelation Three:1-6

This lesson is the fifth within the sequence of messages communicated by Christ by means of John the apostle to the seven church buildings in Asia Minor. The message on this lesson is addressed particularly to the church in Sardis — a cosmopolitan compromising and hypocritical church —that prided itself to be alive however recognized by Christ as spiritually useless or dying. He says, “I do know thy works, that thou hast a reputation that thou livest, and artwork useless” (Revelation Three:1).

His analysis of this church is so completely different from their analysis of themselves and that of others. There have been outward proofs of liveliness and dynamism; the church had an excellent fame within the eyes and estimation of all those that couldn’t see past the bodily. Really, “the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward look, however the LORD looketh on the guts” (1 Samuel 16: 7; 2 Corinthians 10:18). Self-praise and the reward of males could make one relapse into self-satisfaction, complacency and blindness to the truth of 1’s non secular declension and eventual demise. Christ is anxious with the non secular lifetime of those that profess to be members of His church. The reason being, He died to “redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar folks, zealous of fine works” (Titus 2:14). He x-rays the lives of professing believers In each church within the gentle of this particular divine objective and purpose of His sacrifice. It saddens Him that majority of members of the church in Sardis have been spiritually useless whereas some others have been critically on the verge of dying among the many steadfast and devoted few that have to be urgently revived. The non secular situation of this church attracted the Lord’s rebuke and condemnation. Thus this research reveals the traits of any church that’s useless and the steps to reviving it. He commends the devoted few and guarantees to reward those that stay steadfast in righteousness until the tip.

Query 1: Why ought to believers be involved about Christ’s analysis of their lives and repair?

CHRIST’S REVELATION CONCERNING A DEAD CHURCH

(Revelation Three:1,2; Matthew 23:25-29; Romans 5:5-10; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-5; 2
Corinthians 6:14-18; Jude 11-13; 1 Timothy 5:6; 2 Peter 2:12-22).

“This stuff saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I do know thy works, that thou hast a reputation that thou livest, and artwork useless.” Christ’s revelation and evaluation regarding this lively however useless church in Sardis is unbiased, incontrovertible and completely true, primarily based on His excellent information of all issues (Revelation Three:1). In Scripture, ‘seven’ connotes perfection or fullness. Thus, Christ presents Himself as possessing the fullness of the Holy Spirit with His numerous powers, graces and operations (Isaiah 11:2).

Christ additionally reveals He has the seven stars, that’s, His appointed leaders over the seven church buildings of Asia Minor. As Head of the church, He communicates His disappointment over the spiritually useless state of the native meeting to the chief He has appointed over it. It’s apparent that the Lord holds Christian leaders accountable for the state of their church buildings. Within the church in Sardis, true righteousness was missing amongst majority of the members. “They profess that they know God; however in works they deny him …” (Titus 1:16). They have been non secular however sinful; that they had the looks of a dwelling church however have been spiritually useless; they possessed a vigorous, lively and outward disposition however have been bereft of Christlikeness. The quilt-up didn’t final as Christ uncovered their lifelessness to assist them make amends earlier than it’s too late. Individuals who assume they’ll cover their methods and actions from God do drastically err. He’s omnipresent and omniscient. He asks, “Can any cover himself in secret locations that I shall not see him… Don’t I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:24).

Query 2: What attributes of Christ make each effort at overlaying sin futile?

Being omniscient, Christ is aware of the true state of all church buildings. He is aware of the state of all males: their ideas, phrases, works, tendencies, nature, qualities, affections and motives. “Neither is there any creature that’s not manifest in his sight: however all issues are bare and Opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have now to do” (Hebrews Four:13). Hypocrites can not efficiently conceal their iniquities from His all-seeing eyes (Psalm 90:Eight). Awfully, all shall be uncovered “within the day when God shall decide the secrets and techniques of males by Jesus Christ…” (Romans 2:16).

This fact ought to make sinners and hypocrites repent of sin and search the Lord for salvation.A church is alleged to be spiritually useless if, one, it solely has a Christian title with out the life and doctrines of Christ; two, orthodoxy is substituted for morality; three, exterior morality replaces inward piety, grace and humility; 4, formalism reigns with out spirituality (2 Timothy Three:5); 5, there’s prevalence of non secular apathy and insensitivity to the Phrase and Spirit of God (Proverbs 21:16; 28:9); six, there’s dryness, lukewarmness, coldness and compromise amongst its members (Revelation Three:15-17; 1
Corinthians 10:5-10); seven, its members are given over to worldly and sinful pleasures (1 Timothy 5:6; 1 John 2:15); eight, it preaches the letter with out the quickening and convicting energy of the Spirit (Ephesians 2:1,5); 9, the preaching of the reality is minimized with little time allotted to it whereas different actions are accorded prominence; ten, it lacks imaginative and prescient and keenness for evangelism and mission.

Query Three: What are the traits of a spiritually useless church?

Quite a lot of causes account for the non secular demise of a church. One, self-righteousness and self-satisfaction; two, carnality and fleshly lusts; three interplay with useless, worldly church buildings; 4, neglect of the Phrase of life; 5, disregarding the Spirit of life; six, unconfessed sin and undisciplined backsliders; seven, worldliness and worldly pleasures; eight, unequal yoke and friendship with the world; 9, looking for to win the world
with out feeding the church; ten, perpetual insensitivity to Christ’s correction; eleven,
permitting persecution and mock to uproot its strong basis; and twelve, partaking of the Lord’s Supper unworthily.

Query Four: Point out some causes of non secular demise in a church.

CHRIST’S PRESCRIPTION FOR REVIVING A DEAD CHURCH

(Revelation Three:2,Three; 2 Peter Three:9; 1 Timothy 2:Three,Four; Ezekiel 33: 11; 18:23,32; Romans Eight:5-Eight;
7:24,25)

Carelessness and forgetfulness of the sacrifice of Christ, the present of grace and the accompanying reciprocal accountability required of believers have been the issues of believers on this church. So, Christ calls everybody within the church to “Be watchful” and alert to the causes of non secular demise and keep away from them. Each time a believer turns into carefree, such will lose non secular experiences and should genuinely repent and be restored to religion in Christ. The prodigal who’s restored to non secular fervency should watch in opposition to re-entry of sin and love of the world into their hearts. Christ additionally calls the chief and the few who nonetheless have non secular life to “strengthen the issues which stay which are able to die” with love, heat and galvanizing exhortation, encouragement with God’s guarantees and intercession for the dying believers within the energy of the quickening Spirit. This non secular service is pressing to convey revival in view of the abstract of Christ’s evaluation that, “I’ve not discovered thy works excellent earlier than
God” This revelation ought to stir us as much as search extra grace to work and serve God acceptably. God expects perfection in our lives and repair. He expects one of the best however within the Sardis church, He noticed the shell devoid of the kernel, the carcase with out the soul, the shadow having no substance. We should always look at our works and inquire from the Lord of the harvest if our works are acceptable unto Him. Christ calls each useless or dying church to “Bear in mind due to this fact how thou hast obtained and heard; and maintain quick, and repent”.

Forgetfulness of the worth of redemption, the nice love and unmerited favour of God and Christ’s funding of grace in our lives can result in non secular declension. Therefore, Christ’s directive to recollect or recall occasions related to our conversion and old flame for Him. We should recall how we every obtained the gospel with love, devotion, passion and maintain quick the entire fact the church has obtained. Christ calls the spiritually useless or dying to recall the steps to salvation and life in Christ and retake them for his or her non secular revival. One, “Obtain” the phrase of God with religion. It was a mark that led the early believers to real salvation (Acts 2:41). Two, “Hear,” the phrase means to pay attention earnestly with full consideration and objective of coronary heart to obey it.

“…Blessed are they that hear the phrase of God, and maintain it” (Luke 11 :28), Three, “maintain quick”, which means to consider, settle for and belief in His Phrase and act on it. 4, “Repent” which implies whole self-examination, rejection and turning away from each type of sin and friendship with the world and a return to the unique love, fact and purity of life and doctrine. Repentance additionally consists of restitution of issues to their correct house owners (Leviticus 6:1-Four). Repentance is demanded by God and lack of it attracts divine judgment.

Query 5: What are the scriptural steps to reviving a useless church?

Furthermore, non secular revival is enhanced by means of sensible obedience to the phrase of God (Matthew 7:24,25; Jeremiah 7:22,23); two, preaching of the pure, Spirit impressed phrase; three, purging of the church of all false lecturers and prophets; 4, disciplining or rebuking members whose lives or professions usually are not in step with godliness; 5, prayer for revival as a result of, the effectual fervent prayer of “a righteous man availeth a lot” (James 5:16-18); six, planting of devoted, trusted and holy pastors to guide church buildings (Jeremiah 7:Four).

COMMENDATION AND PROMISED REWARD FOR THE FAITHFUL FEW

(Revelation Three:Four-6; 19:7-9; 21:27; 20:12-15; Daniel Three:13-30; 7:27; Luke 12:Eight; 21:36; Romans 15:Four; 1 Thessalonians 5:27, 28; 1 John Three:1-Three)

Like a lily within the mire, there have been few within the Sardis church “…which haven’t defiled their clothes…” (Revelation Three:Four). Righteousness is the non secular garment that makes a Christian pure and clear earlier than God (Revelation 19:Eight). The truth that multitudes of individuals do evil will not be an excuse for believers to compromise their religion. The grace of God is at all times obtainable and adequate for heaven-minded believers to stay steadfast, holy, devoted and uncompromising of their stroll with God.

Joseph, Moses, the Rechabites, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Mary, Paul the apostle, lived and served God in ungodly environments (Genesis 39:7-12; Hebrews 11:24-29; Jeremiah 35:5-18′, Daniel Three:13-18; Matthew 1:18-25; Galatians 1:10; 2: 11- 14). Previous to the deluge, Noah and his household have been the one ones who have been discovered righteous and worthy to flee the flood. Christ additionally was as soon as lived in our world; He “was in all factors tempted like as we’re, but with out sin” (Hebrew Four:15). He died and rose once more to empower us to reside constant lives of victory over sin, self, the flesh, the world and Devil. So, He expects us to placed on the entire armour of God and reside by religion within the energy of His title, blood and Spirit. We should resist temptations and continuously uphold our conviction in any respect prices, if we count on to earn the commendation and reward from the Lord.

Query 6: How can present-day church buildings keep away from non secular declension and the resultant judgment?

Christ declared the devoted few in Sardis worthy and certified to stroll with Him in white. It’s comforting to obtain commendation of Christ, our Lord. This promise will not be just for the pure in Sardis but additionally for all who “…overcometh, the identical shall be clothed in white raiment; and I can’t blot out his title out of the ebook of life, however I’ll confess his title earlier than my Father, and earlier than his angels” (Revelation Three:5). Nice blessings await the devoted on the finish of the age. These guarantees ought to stir sinners and backsliders to repentance and restoration in order that their names may be within the “ebook of life”. To keep away from the chance of being deleted from this ebook, believers ought to abide in Christ and decide to be constant in holiness and faithfulness to Christ to the tip.

Believers can keep away from non secular declension and demise, revive a useless or dying church and preserve non secular fervency or revival by being at all times able to “hear what the Spirit saith unto the church buildings” (Revelation 2:5-7,16,17,22) and obey Him wholeheartedly, promptly and totally. God’s Spirit and Phrase enliven and maintain non secular life in believers and in His church.